This invention relates to a turbofan powered locomotive and monorail arrangement. The invention also relates to vehicles such as a locomotive powered by a turbine engine, preferably, a turbofan engine, and riding on ball bearings which are preferably coated to reduce friction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,697 (Bell) describes a transportation system, including concave central sections which extend laterally, and terminate in outwardly extending flanges. Lower wheels 38 cooperate with the tracks 18. A jet engine at the rear end of a coach 10 may be provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,443,524 (Schneider) teaches a transit system, where the track is described as generally comprising a pair of spaced, parallel grooves 14 located so as to project above the bottom of the track channel. Each passenger car has a cylindrical compartment resting on and secured to the carrier 22, having a flat bottom for engagement with track rollers. A power plant 38 may be of the jet propulsion type, located in the front or rear, as desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,652,461 (Snee) teaches a ball-bearing rail, including a rail constructed so as to reduce friction between the rails and the rolling stock. U.S. Pat. No. 555,081 (Emond) shows rails upon which a car runs, each rail being provided with a central, longitudinal V-shaped groove. Rollers are journaled in notches in the upper, side portion of the rails.
U.S. Pat. No. 283,947 (Augspath) includes a track with rollers arranged in horizontal series between the rails. U.S. Pat. No. 2,469,432 (Cox) teaches a super-speed elevated railway, comprising a continuous series of spaced-apart rollers, which are preferably provided with suitable anti-fiction bearings and which are of relatively small diameter so that very little power will be required to overcome their static inertia.
U.S. Pat. No. 731,253 (Wentzel) teaches a railroad rail, showing a groove which has placed therein a series of anti-fiction bearings. U.S. Pat. No. 3,412,689 (Hawes) teaches a monorail train, and has a single jet ejecting tube which is part of a jet propulsion means.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,145 (Wolfram) teaches a differential axle for a railroad car, and describes pressure plates disposed on the inboard and outboard ends of a sleeve, including opposed stainless steel thrust bearing surfaces contiguous to the annular side-faces of the wheel hub, which are surfaced with a Teflon® composite, bearing material bonded thereto. U.S. Pat. No. 4,196,671 (Herring) teaches a railway car including a surface area of the low friction surface. A side bearer comprises a phenolic resin impregnated cotton fabric on which layers of Teflon® fabric are imposed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,278 (Marcu) teaches wheels made of rigid polymer material, like high-impact nylon, which has uniformly distributed in it a solid lubricant-like Teflon® to facilitate rolling.